The present invention is directed to recording sheets suitable for use in copying and printing applications. More specifically, the present invention is directed to recording sheets suitable for use in both ink jet and electrophotographic imaging processes. One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a recording sheet which comprises a substrate and an image receiving layer comprising a mixture of (a) a polymer capable of forming a latex and selected from the group consisting of poly (vinyl chloride), ethylene-vinyl chloride copolymers, poly (vinyl acetate), carboxylated poly (vinyl acetate), ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, polymers containing acrylate monomers, poly styrene, styrene-butadiene copolymers, carboxylated styrene-butadiene copolymers, butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymers, butadiene-acrylonitrile-styrene copolymers, and mixtures thereof; (b) a polysaccharide; and (c) a polymer containing oxyalkylene monomers.
Recording sheets suitable for various printing and imaging processes are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,582 (Sugiyama et al.) discloses an ink jet recording sheet containing a basic latex represented by the formula ##STR1## wherein --A-- represents a polymeric unit formed by copolymerizing a copolymerizable monomer containing a tert-amino group or a quaternary ammonium group, --B-- represents a polymeric unit formed by copolymerizing a compolymerizable monomer containing at least two ethylenically unsaturated groups, --C-- represents a polymeric unit formed by copolymerizing copolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomers other than those used for forming --A-- and --B--, x represents from 10 to 99 mole percent, y represents from 0 to 10 mole percent, and z represents from 0 to 90 mole percent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,242 (Burwasser) discloses an ink jet recording transparency capable of absorbing colored, aqueous-miscible inks to provide permanent smear-resistant images. The transparency includes a transparent resinous support and a coating which is clear and comprises a mixture of a carboxylated polymer or copolymer having a molecular weight of about 50,000 to 1 million, and a polyalkylene glycol having an average molecular weight of about 5,000 to 25,000, with the glycol being present in an amount of about 5 to about 70 percent of the polymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,405 (Bedell et al.), the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses an ink jet recording sheet comprising a transparent support carrying a layer comprising 5 to 100 percent by weight of a coalesced block copolymer latex of poly(vinyl alcohol) with polyvinyl (benzyl ammonium chloride) and 0 to 95 percent by weight of a water soluble polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), and copolymers thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,437 (Tanck) discloses a transparent recording medium which comprises a conventional transparency base material coated with hydroxyethyl cellulose and optionally containing one or more additional polymers compatible therewith.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,465 (Viola) discloses an ink jet recording sheet comprising a transparent support carrying a layer comprising up to 50 percent by weight of vinylpyridine/vinylbenzyl quaternary salt copolymer and a hydrophilic polymer selected from the group consisting of gelatin, polyvinyl alcohol, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and mixtures thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,285 (Viola) discloses a printing substrate adapted to receive ink droplets to form an image generated by an ink jet printer which comprises a transparent support carrying a layer comprising at least 70 percent by weight polyurethane and 5 to 30 percent by weight of a polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), polyvinylpyrrolidone/vinyl acetate copolymer, poly(ethylene oxide), gelatin, and poly(acrylic acid).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,954 (Malhotra), the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a transparency for ink jet printing which comprises a supporting substrate and thereover a coating consisting essentially of a blend of carboxymethyl cellulose and poly(ethylene oxides). This patent also discloses papers for use in ink jet printing which comprise a plain paper substrate and a coating thereover consisting essentially of polyethylene oxides.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,741 (Aono et al.) discloses an ink recording sheet comprising a transparent support having thereon an ink recording layer comprising a mixture of an amino-deactivated gelatin derivative and a poly alkylene oxide.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,914 (Malhotra), the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a transparency which comprises a supporting substrate and a blend which comprises polyethylene oxide and carboxymethyl cellulose together with a component selected from the group consisting of (1) hydroxypropyl cellulose; (2) vinylmethyl ether/maleic acid copolymer; (3) carboxymethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose; (4) hydroxyethyl cellulose; (5) acrylamide/acrylic acid copolymer; (6) cellulose sulfate; (7) poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid); (8) poly(vinyl alcohol); (9) poly(vinyl pyrrolidone); and (10) hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose. Papers with these coatings are also disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,006,407 (Malhotra), the disclosures of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a transparent substrate material for receiving or containing an image which comprises a supporting substrate and a coating with a plasticizer such as a phosphate, a substituted phthalic anhydride, a glycerol, a glycol, a substituted glycerol, a pyrrolidinone, an alkylene carbonate, a sulfolane, or a steric acid derivative. Papers having the disclosed coatings are also included in the disclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,697 (Malhotra), the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a transparent substrate material for receiving or containing an image which comprises a supporting substrate base, an antistatic polymer layer coated on one or both sides of the substrate and comprising hydrophilic cellulosic components, and a toner receiving polymer layer contained on one or both sides of the antistatic layer, which polymer comprises hydrophobic cellulose ethers, hydrophobic cellulose esters, or mixtures thereof, and wherein the toner receiving layer contains adhesive components.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,153 (Malhotra), the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a never-tear coated paper comprising a plastic supporting substrate; a binder layer comprising polymers selected from the group consisting of (1) hydroxypropyl cellulose, (2) poly(vinyl alkyl ether), (3) vinyl pyrrolidone-vinyl acetate copolymer, (4) vinyl pyrrolidone-dialkylamino ethyl methacrylate copolymer quaternized, (5) poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), (6) poly(ethylene imine), and mixtures thereof; a pigment or pigments; and an ink receiving polymer layer.
Copending application U.S. Ser. No. 07/370,677 (Malhotra), now U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,903 the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses an imaged transparency comprising a supporting substrate, an oil absorbing layer which comprises, for example, chlorinated rubber, styrene-olefin copolymers, alkylmethacrylate copolymers, ethylene-propylene copolymers, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose or sodium carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose, and ink receiving polymer layers comprising, for example, vinyl alcohol-vinyl acetate, vinyl alcohol-vinyl butyral, or vinyl alcohol-vinyl acetate-vinyl chloride copolymers. The ink receiving layers may include therein or thereon fillers such as silica, calcium carbonate, or titanium dioxide.
Copending application U.S. Ser. No. 07/587,781 (Malhotra), now U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,773 the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses transparencies comprising a supporting substrate and a coating composition thereon which comprises a mixture of (a) nonionic celluloses; (b) ionic celluloses; and (c) poly(alkylene oxide) together with a noncellulosic component selected from the group consisting of (1) poly(imidazoline) quaternized; (2) poly(N,N-dialkyl dialkylene piperidinium halide); (3) poly(acrylamido-2-alkyl propane sulfonic acid); (4) poly(ethylene imine) epihalohydrin; (5) poly(acrylamide); (6) acrylamide-acrylic acid copolymer; (7) poly(vinyl pyrrolidone); (8) poly(vinyl alcohol); (9) vinyl pyrrolidone-dialkyl aminomethylmethacrylate copolymer quaternized; (10) vinyl pyrrolidone-vinyl acetate copolymer; and mixtures thereof.
Copending application U.S. Ser. No. 07/561,430 (Malhotra), pending filed Aug. 1, 1990, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a recording sheet which comprises, in the order stated, an ink receiving layer, a base sheet, a heat absorbing layer, and an anticurl layer. The recording sheet can be transparent or opaque, and can be used in a wide variety of printing and imaging processes. The recording sheet exhibits little or no curling, even after exposure to heat and/or a wide range of relative humidities.
Copending application U.S. Ser. No. 07/861,668 (Malhotra et al.), now U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,008, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, discloses a recording sheet which comprises a substrate; a first coating in contact with the substrate which comprises a crosslinking agent selected from the group consisting of hexamethoxymethyl melamine, methylated melamine-formaldehyde, methylated urea-formaldehyde, cationic urea-formaldehyde, cationic polyamine-epichlorohydrin, glyoxal-urea resin, poly (azirrdine), poly (acrylamide), poly (N,N-dimethyl acrylamide), acrylamide-acrylic acid copolymer, poly (2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid), poly (N,N-dimethyl-3,5-dimethylene piperidinium chloride), poly (methylene-guanidine) hydrochloride, poly (ethylene imine) poly (ethylene imine) epichlorohydrin, poly (ethylene imine) ethoxylated, glutaraldehyde, and mixtures thereof; a catalyst; and a polymeric material capable of being crosslinked by the crosslinking agent and selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides having at least one hydroxy group, polysaccharides having at least one carboxy group, polysaccharides having at least one sulfate group, polysaccharides having at least one amine or amino group, polysaccharide gums, poly (alkylene oxides), vinyl polymers, and mixtures thereof; and a second coating in contact with the first coating which comprises a binder and a material selected from the group consisting of fatty imidazolines, ethosulfate quaternary compounds, dialkyl dimethyl methosulfate quaternary compounds, alkoxylated di-fatty quaternary compounds, amine oxides, amine ethoxylates, imidazoline quaternary compounds, alkyl benzyl dimethyl quaternary compounds, poly (epiamines), and mixtures thereof.
While known compositions and processes are suitable for their intended purposes, a need remains for improved recording sheets. In addition, there is a need for improved recording sheets suitable for use in ink jet printing processes. Further, a need remains for improved recording sheets suitable for use in printing and copying processes employing electrophotographic-type developers. Additionally, a need exists for recording sheets that enable the formation of images with high optical density. There is also a need for recording sheets that enable the formation of high quality color images with minimum intercolor bleed. In addition, there is a need for recording sheets that exhibit minimum intercolor bleed of color images when the imaged sheets are stored in folders or plastic sleeves. Further, a need remains for recording sheets that exhibit excellent heat and/or humidity resistance. Additionally, there is a need for recording sheets that exhibit minimum blocking (sticking together) at high relative humidities of, for example, 50 to 80 percent and at relatively high temperatures of, for example, over 80.degree. F.